The Seven Deadly Boughs of Tartarus
by Anglo-Chan
Summary: Seijuuro was not normal, but Tetsuya belonged to Seijuuro. He was an angel, an untouched lake, a ripe, rose red apple hanging off of a healthy bough, made to tempt. Seijuuro loved Tetsuya more than anyone else ever would. But it wasn't like anyone else would ever get the chance. (Yandere!Akashi, AkaKuro, dark themes, incest, hinted KiKuro)


**A/N: Just someth****ing to try and cure my writer's block. Hope you enjoy!**

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_The Seven Deadly Boughs of Tartarus_

__..;:x:;..__

_Sing, little canary._

_Sing a tune for me._

_Sing little canary,_

_I'll take you from your tree._

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Akashi Seijuuro was never considered to be a normal person.

Of course, even if he had been born with a different personality, Seijuuro would not have been considered normal. He was the eldest son of Akashi Saito, the CEO of the famous Red King Shipping Corporations, and from the tender age of seven- had been aware that he was to someday, take on the head of his father's company himself. Not only that- but he had the pleasure of having nearly eight stepmothers and counting by the time he was eleven, and so many more of them after that Seijuuro hadn't been able to remember their names. Adding along to his peculiar and rather unfortunate familial status, Seijuuro had a younger brother, Seiji, who was proclaimed rather unfit in the head when the manor maids had caught him beating one of the random stray cats that hung around the back garden of the mansion to death with a silver cooking ladle. Yes, it was no surprise that Seijuuro's personality had been oddly shaped and fitted, ever since he was a child.

Seijuuro remembered small, rather unimportant pieces of his childhood at times, small fragments and vignettes that surfaced randomly, like bubbles from the bottom of a muddled cup filled with tablets of alka seltzer. He remembered, when he was about nine or so- his father was on his seventh wife- cuddling into the warm, silky sheets of his huge bed, and hearing the shameless panting of his dear father, and the lewd moaning of a stepmother who talked much too sweetly and always wore too much perfume straight through the thick, oak doors. Seijuuro could hear the creaking of a bedpost from across the hall. It was hard not to, what with how loud they were being. He remembered feeling absolute disgust for the first time, and how it filled his blood with a sour taste.

It had been eight o'clock, the time on the digital alarm beeping red. He recalled accusing the woman of hitting him only a few days later, which had caused his father to divorce her.

Seijuuro could have laughed at certain memories. One time or other- he'd hear a name on the street, or something- and it would bring back memories of the women his father went through in months. His father, being CEO of Red King and a multibillionaire, was obviously a key bachelor in Japan. Though he was crisply aged at thirty nine, he was handsome still, and could pass for younger. After the wife that Seijuuro had managed to kick out of the manor- he had stopped remembering names, and instead gave the numerous gold diggers nicknames on their appearances. There was a woman named Connie, he remembered, who always wore tight clothing over her fake breasts- Seijuuro had nicknamed her Siliconnie, just for his amusement. There was a woman named Barbara who he had particularly disliked, what with her American accent and indecent clothes- she was named Barbie, for her white-blonde hair. The thirteenth wife was dubbed Unlucky Bucky instead of Becky, for superstition and the way she rolled her wide, scanty hips against his father's thigh when she thought Seijuuro wasn't looking. The seventeenth was Helium-headed Helene, and so on. Each of them, Seijuuro had driven away. He accused them of hitting him to his father, he tortured them and made their lives miserable- whatever it took.

Though the earlier ones hadn't gotten nicknames nor been subject to such treatment, for that was when Seijuuro was still innocent. He did not yet know the potent feeling of disgust. However, Seijuuro remembered hating all of the disgusting women who mooched off of his father equally- except for one. Her name was Renka, and she was most likely, less than half the age of Akashi Saito. She was the only pure Japanese wife Akashi Saito had taken, and she was the nineteenth- no, perhaps she was the twentieth one. Either way, Seijuuro had hated her more than any of Saito's other wives. Unlike the other women, who never fulfilled the 'mother' role of stepmother- Renka genuinely tried to reach out to both Seijuuro and Seiji. By then, Seiji was kept shut up in his room all day, and did not go to school anymore. She tried to be a good wife, by cleaning, cooking, and taking care of her adopted children. She cared, and she tried- which was what made her so pathetic. It made Seijuuro, at the age of sixteen, hate her all the more.

He remembered she'd always make him bento boxes for lunch to take to school. She was always doing things that were beyond irritating, and not needed. Renka did not understand that there was no use in trying to make them a perfect family- one where the mother made lunches for her kids, and the father came home on time. It was impossible, and the sweet thought sickened Seijuuro. The mother in his family was an outsider, a gold digging whore- the father was a man who was never satisfied, his body leading him blind into conquests of lust- the eldest brother a cold young man, and the youngest mentally insane. Seijuuro would just ignore her in the mornings instead, doing nothing to acknowledge her in any way- she'd wait at the door with a wide smile, holding a cloth-wrapped bag- and he would grab the expensive box full of a lovely meal from her harshly, practically ripping it from her hands. Renka would keep smiling as if nothing was wrong, and go back into the kitchen as Seijuuro was escorted to school. Once Seijuuro arrived at the academy, he'd dump the bento into the trash can, cloth, box, food, and all, disgusted, and wipe his hands clean. Never would Renka question what happened to the bag.

Whatever he did to crush her feelings and hope into dust- she'd just smile at him.

Seijuuro hated her with a passion that burnt harder than the fiery pits of hell. She forced everyone to wait for supper- once Saito came home, they'd come together at near midnight to eat dinner. Even then, it was not a family dinner. No one did any talking. When Renka tried to ask how school went, Seijuuro would only shoot her down, his father too tired to notice. Seiji was always absent from the table, for he was not allowed to eat using metal utensils in fear of hurting himself, or someone else. Someone had to feed him. Renka would always do it herself instead of have a maid do it- and the next morning, Seijuuro would see deep red claw marks on her face. He would thank Seiji every morning. Nevertheless, she kept on smiling.

Seijuuro would purposefully leave large messes around the kitchen or his room, asking his dear 'mother' clean it up rather than the maids in front of his father. Saito would agree, believing they were being a normal parent and son. Renka would keep smiling as she organized books and papers and cleaned up meal messes, water and grass stains, and refit upturned furniture and chairs.

Renka was like a cockroach. No one wanted her around. All she did was leech off of them like a parasite- but no matter how many times you squished the insect under the hardest spike of your boot- it simply scuttled away and kept on living.

Then of course- the one fatal day came when Seijuuro finally managed to get Renka out of the manor. He knew that she wouldn't be able to put up with the horrid life bestowed upon her, and would leave. Perhaps it would be because of Saito's failure to pay attention to her distress, or Seiji's violence towards her- or Seijuuro's emotional abuse. Either way, he would be glad when she was finally gone.

It was a mixture of all three of their actions that made Renka leave without a word, without a smile. Seijuuro loved the look on her face as she finally broke down.

The day was still treasured in the back of Seijuuro's mind. It had been a Sunday, early in the afternoon. It marked the anniversary of Renka's fourth month in the manor, which was longer than many of Saito's other wives had stayed. Seijuuro was not impressed. He had been in his room recording some notes for a biology midterm- when he heard a shrill scream come from down the hall- Seiji's room.

It was a pained, feminine scream. Renka- what had precious Seiji done to the _poor _woman? Seijuuro imagined she had most likely been feeding him his lunch, and he had taken the utensil and attacked her. The redhead remembered the feeling of bliss that swam in his veins, as he closed his notebook and put his pencil down. He had exited his room and made straight for the end of the hall- but his father had beat him to it. Saito's voice rose above the hysterical sobbing and screaming of Renka. Cackling laughter that no doubt came from Seiji overlapped the noise.

Seijuuro peeked his head in the door frame. Like he predicted, Seiji was sitting in his bed- actually, it wasn't a bed. His whole room wasn't even a room. It was just an empty white space, with nothing but padding to keep him from smashing his head into a wall and killing himself. His bed was a blow-up mattress with a sewed on cover, making sure he couldn't smash anything against a real bed's headboard, or strangle himself with blankets or sheets. Seiji was sitting on the mattress, cradling a steak knife close to his heart. His hands were stained in crimson ribbons of blood. Streams of insane laughter escaped his lips, his eyes shut tight joyfully. An overturned tray of food was scattered and spilled all over the clean white floor.

Saito had been on the floor, near Renka, holding her by her shoulders. The distraught woman was screaming, her eyes shut tight, finally cracked. Renka favored her right hand, which had a deep gash in it- going straight through her palm the other way, streaming red liquid running from the wound. Tears were running down her eyes from the pain, as Saito tried to calm her down with no luck.

When Seijuuro's father had suggested calling the ambulance for her to go to the Emergency Room, Renka had started screaming, violently protesting, and pushed Saito away. Seijuuro remembered how her bloody hand had left prints all over his father's favorite beige business suit, as she staggered to her feet and ran. Saito had gone to chase after her, only to see it was futile. Renka had called a cab and came to her senses, running away from the manor as fast as she had come in the first place. Seijuuro had not ever been happier, even as he watched his younger brother lovingly kiss the bloody silver blade of the knife, blood staining his chapped lips.

What an absolutely glorious day that had been for Seijuuro Akashi.

He supposed that the years of being surrounded by a different woman for every three months was what drove him to believe he was asexual. Seijuuro had no interest in the porn his male classmates would watch, as they beckoned him to come over and 'get a load' of a woman's large, plastic breasts. The redhead would only have smiled and declined respectfully, despite the acrid disgust shooting through his veins like adrenaline. Even when Seijuuro's classmates would get a glimpse his newest stepmother clinging to his father's arm and see a supermodel, the redhead would only see a false plastic doll, with an ugly personality hiding behind shades of concealer and lipstick. They'd holler and hoot, but Seijuuro would only keep his usual calm expression and leave without another word to his friends.

Being homosexual was never an option for the heir to Red King Corporations- so Seijuuro never bothered to take a glimpse of any men. Thus, the redheaded male was never attracted to anyone. Women disgusted him, and he had never bothered to take a look at men in another way. However, his father began to give him jobs to entertain daughters of other CEOs while he met with them in meetings, around the age of eighteen. Seijuuro still lived at home.

Each young woman he met fell into two categories. Either they were lewd and disgusting, reminding Seijuuro of his stepmothers like Siliconnie, or Unlucky Bucky- trying to flirt with him and hold his hand- or they were shy and irritating, thinking that if they kept quiet, maybe they'd be asked if they wanted a drink, or if they wanted to share seats with him. None of the women he was asked to entertain by his father were of any interest they were so predictable, and they always disgusted him. But by then, he was so used to spending his weekends with insufferable young women, that it hardly seemed foreign him anymore- he just kept his steely polite face and spoke nicely, nothing more. Never anything more. That was all it was.

A normal hormonal teenager would have simply lure done of the easy young women into bed and had their way with them. Seijuuro refused. He didn't want to become one of society's disgusting excuses for a teenager, rutting and dry humping anything with a pair of legs and wearing a skirt. Seijuuro knew he was better than his classmates and so-called friends. He had class, he was destined for great things. He only kept his indifferent and polite face, turning down countless young women-rich or poor- classmate or stranger, who were attracted to his young and handsome appearance.

His graduation of high school marked his guaranteed placement as valedictorian. His speech was absolutely perfect, as usual. It had been decided that Seijuuro would attend the prestigious Rakuzan University in Kyoto, five months after graduation, to further study business. His father had attended the ceremony with a beautiful young woman probably half his age, whom Seijuuro had never bothered to remember. As usual, Seiji was locked up in his room at home. Seijuuro knew that his father was wondering what he should do with the younger, mentally unstable brother. There was talk starting to arise in the business world of Akashi Saito's insane younger son, who spent his days locked up in a straightjacket and detained. Seijuuro knew, at the time, that his father was thinking of sending Seiji off to a 'care ward' to be handled. The thought made Seijuuro glad.

Though his brother had been the one to finally get Renka to snap, he was a nuisance. Seiji's presence in the Akashi family was a blemish on the perfect family tree- a mutation, a sickness. Seiji would bring disease to the rest of the family. It was good that Saito was thinking of sending Seiji away. Seijuuro was glad about that. There would be one less flaw that he'd have to worry about, after all. Seijuuro found it was rather easy to keep his charming smile on during his speech.

Seijuuro's graduation night was marked with a large feast held at the Akashi manor, and the invitation of nearly two hundred guests, all from large and famous business firms. Seijuuro spent his night thanking and introducing himself to countless people dressed primly in tuxedos and ties, and being congratulated by people he knew couldn't care less. It was a plastic event, just the same as usual. The heir to Red King Corporations ended the night after escorting everyone out of the manor once the party had ended, and retired to his bed the same time he always did. Everything was normal.

Seijuuro spent his five months of vacation between graduation and his freshman year of college continuing his study of business to keep ahead. Though he was already advanced from his whole life's dedication to business under the tutelage of his father, and he knew so himself- he made sure that he would know more than even the professors in Rakuzan. It was a quiet and methodical lifestyle, unhampered by school or classmates. Though once in a while, Seijuuro would be asked by his father to entertain daughters of CEOs during meetings, it was a time for him to mostly keep to himself.

In the fourth month of his vacation- Seiji, who should've been in his first year of high school- was accidentally let out from his room by a maid. She had opened the door ever so cautiously with one hand to enter the room so she could feed Seiji- when the young man had pushed through the door and slammed into the maid, momentarily shocking her enough to let Seiji escape. He had barreled out of the hallway and was gone in the flash of an eye before the maid could even open her eyes. Seijuuro was bothered enough by the staff to be asked to stop his studies and look for his brother.

Saito had been bothered to come back from work, and the whole manor flew into a frantic search for Seiji, who seemingly could not be found anywhere in the vicinity. The whole day that should've been devoted to meticulous studies was instead dedicated to finding the blemish of the Akashi family.

Seijuuro was not pleased.

They had finally found Seiji after exploring nearly four streets away; where the youngest son of the Akashi manor was giggling hysterically to himself, a sharp rock clenched unrelenting in his hand as he bashed a small bird's head in with the blunt object. His straightjacket had been ripped off. The oldest butler of the manor had to sneak up on Seiji and inject him with anesthetics. Once he had fallen asleep, they had pulled him back to the house and tied him up firmly again, before locking him back in his room. Seijuuro was forced to go back to his studies, having fallen behind.

That night- once he was done with his readings, he approached his father with a polite smile. Saito's once handsome crimson locks were thinning out, and whiteness was creeping up near his ears and over his sideburns. His vibrant eyes were tired and dulled, and his perfect posture was slightly slouched from the shoulders and lower back. Seijuuro knew it was a combination of both work and dealing with the issues about Seiji.

After an hour of talking kindly and pretending to be concerned for his father- he had gotten Saito to agree to finally send Seiji to a care ward. Saito had been hesitant and reluctant because Seijuuro knew that his father truly loved Seiji, for some odd reason- who could love such a defect?- but in the end, he had persuaded his father it would be best for Seiji and everyone would be more safe.

The blemish on the family tree was removed.

Seijuuro left for Kyoto to attend Rakuzan two weeks early, after 'seeing Seiji off' to his ward, which was located in Hokkaido. Saito had cried when his youngest son was shipped off wearing the straightjacket and in a padded room within something akin to a moving truck- but Seijuuro could only smile. Of course he shed some tears, but they were all as plastic as they could be. After his brother was confirmed to have arrived safely in Hokkaido, Seijuuro took a private train to Kyoto, his things to be brought along shipped separately, with the utmost care. He would be staying in a personalized dorm with a service that would come and clean for him while he was out at classes, and cooking would be managed by a butler that would come in twice a week to restock groceries.

Rakuzan had been a beautiful and large campus, with only the most talented and respectable students to be allowed. Studying was made easy, and as Seijuuro knew- he was already on a different level of genius than those of his classmates. They looked to him with awe, envy, and admiration, as he breezed through material, topping the grade charts and outsmarting even the professors. He was claimed the crown jewel of the University. Seijuuro was more than pleased- especially when his father wrote letters, praising him. A few times he received small updates on Seiji's condition from the care ward- but he couldn't have been any more indifferent. The ward had diagnosed Seiji with severe bipolarity and schizophrenia, and had begun giving him medication to help treat him. The letters they sent sometimes included things from Seiji himself, little nonsensical scribbles and drawings. They were trash.

Though Seijuuro, like in high school, was again surrounded by throngs of people who wished to get to know him, he rejected them with a polite hand and kind smile, and a convincing excuse. He spent all of his time reading and studying, only ever pausing to eat and sleep. Even so, sometimes he skipped out on those activities. He allowed himself to join only three clubs as to not deter him from his work, and found himself captain of the Shogi club, literature circle, and debate team. More so he was coveted by all of his peers. Seijuuro was the epitome of perfection- the shining example of absoluteness.

It was just how he liked it.

His freshman and sophomore years of college went by easily. Letters from his father became less frequent, but still occurred at least once a month. Saito wrote fondly to his son, talking about life back at the manor, and work. He described that it was lonely- but Seijuuro was making him proud. The mentions of Seiji's conditions at the ward were further ignored. In Seijuuro's junior year of college, his father began to bring up the prospect of marriage, so he could produce an heir that would take over Red King when Seijuuro was older. The redhead had promptly ignored the suggestion and wrote back without addressing the issue.

Seijuuro refused to ponder even for a moment the ridiculous nature of marrying. Women still continued to disgust him, all of them being lecherous and money-hungry. He was too good to stoop down to becoming a younger version of his father- romanced by the idea of a wife and two perfect children, so much that he constantly married women he only held lingering affections for, simply to have a complete family. That, and the idea of surrendering himself to age was sour and bitter tasting. The idea that he would one day become senile and wither away, only to place an incompetent child in his place, was never going to happen.

Saito was persistent, however- and continued to bring up the issue until Seijuuro felt murderous, furious for his father continuing to deny his absolute word that he would not marry. Soon, the letters from his father were immediately pushed into the paper shredder, or even burnt into blackened crisps in the fireplace. They continued this way until the midterm mark of Seijuuro's senior year of college.

It would be his last year in Rakuzan. Though normally, for taking on businesses straight out of college, one should have a doctorate- Seijuuro was given the express wishes from professor and headmaster that he was suited to accept the responsibilities of Red King after earning his master's degree. He had accepted the recommendations and made plans to graduate after his senior year and head back to Tokyo to the manor. Seijuuro was expecting to get another letter regarding his marriage yet again by his father- but instead, he received a phone call from the care ward.

The care ward said that Seiji was well enough to return to the manor. They explained that the medication they put Seiji on cleared up most of his bipolarity, and his schizophrenia was getting better rapidly. They said that Seijuuro and his father should visit Seiji, and judge whether or not he was fit to return home. Soon after he received the phone call from the care ward, Saito called his son and requested he come down the weekend before graduation and visit his younger brother. Seijuuro calmly agreed. They would meet at the manor, where Seiji would be brought back.

Seijuuro had calmly alerted his teachers of this small trip back home, and had packed enough for a one-day trip. He boarded the private train to Tokyo from Kyoto, where he passed the time by continuing his studies. He arrived at the Akashi manor two hours before Seiji was to arrive- his father greeted him with a smile, the maids and butlers of the manor welcoming him back. The father and son shared a long talk to catch up- polite as ever, and then Seijuuro was left to gather his bearings before Seiji arrived. Not that he needed to. If anything, it was Saito that needed to get ready to see the son he had shipped off for nearly four years.

When Seiji did arrive, Saito and his son stood out near the door to greet him. The maids and butlers were told to stay inside to prepare food for the younger son's arrival. This time, the care ward came in a large van, and Seiji opened the door himself. He didn't wear a straightjacket, and the insides of the van were not padded to keep Seiji from hurting himself. He wore a dark shirt and simple slacks. His red hair was neatly cut, his crimson eyes calm, though slightly lucid. He was no longer the small boy who was locked up in his room, wearing nothing but white. He was a young man of nineteen years old. Before the care ward could even say anything- Saito wrapped Seiji into a huge hug- and Seijuuro held his breath.

Seiji at first flinched painfully- and ever so carefully and slowly after recovering, the smaller male's arms wrapped around his father. Surprisingly enough to Seijuuro, he did not shove a pair of scissors or blades into Saito's back. It was an uncomfortable hug- but Saito didn't mind. Seijuuro remembered the tears that flushed down Saito's face as he released his son, shamelessly crying as he lead Seiji into the manor, babbling and rambling like an old fool.

It was disgusting and pathetic, really.

The three of them had sat down at the table where a large meal awaited them. Though Saito was talking a mile and a minute, obviously elated to be with both of his sons again- both he and Seijuuro were watching Seiji carefully. Though he was acting normal, not whispering to himself or giggling, he still wasn't normal. His eyes were clouded and dazed out, his fingers nervously twitching at his sides every once in a while. Medication could only do so much, after all.

Seiji seemed to be able to deal with using a fork. Though his hands trembled, he managed to eat, and wiped his mouth with etiquette that had obviously been forced on him at the ward. It was odd for Seijuuro to be seeing his brother eat like a human, to be sitting at the dinner table, when all of his childhood, it had only been he and his stepmother at the table while Seiji was locked away and Saito was at work. A sudden remembrance of Renka feeding Seiji clogged his mind, and Seijuuro had to fight to keep the scowl from claiming his lips. The dinner was filled with Saito asking Seiji questions that the overwhelmed young man could only nod to, once in a while having to clutch his fingers together desperately to keep from trembling violently.

Seijuuro did not trust his brother with his father at all. His father, despite his intelligence- was a sentimental fool, his biggest downfall. He was only elated that Seiji was deemed okay, and mentally stable. He didn't realize that the medication was the only thing keeping Seiji from snapping, and if there happened to be a mistake where Seiji did not take those token pills- everyone would be in danger. Seijuuro knew it was a bad idea.

He let it happen anyway- but for only one reason.

Saito proposed that since Seijuuro was so against the concept of marriage, he would have Seiji marry off to the young woman that Seijuuro had been promised for. The brothers looked rather alike, after all. They had the same red hair and bright crimson eyes- it was simply age. Saito explained the idea of Seiji and the young woman- Kuroko Tetsuki, daughter of the CEO to Blackout Energy Corporations- marrying. They would have children and produce an heir to Red King and Blackout, and the two companies would merge to create a very large business revue. Seijuuro would take their child under his wing and teach them. That way- Seiji had his own part in the family business, and Seijuuro would have an heir without having to marry.

Seijuuro accepted because he knew that was the best it would get. Yes, he was absolute, and yes- his command was the final word- but for now, he still relinquished the right to full power under his father. He would have an heir, he supposed. It was a benefit to him he would not have to marry to do so.

Two weeks after Seijuuro graduated from Rakuzan and three days after Seiji's twentieth birthday- the younger son to the Akashi family was married to Kuroko Tetsuki, who was of the tender age of nineteen. She was a quiet and emotionless woman, with ivory skin, and blue eyes and hair. Both of them were still children, really. Their first meeting was the wedding ceremony in which they sealed the agreement between their fathers with a loveless brush of their lips. Nearly two thousand had attended the wedding ceremony, all of them sharks that simply wished to shove their feet into the rapidly closing doors of business. The wedding other than that- was perfect. Seijuuro attended without a date. It was held in an expensive, five acre garden full of flowers and fruit, with white roses and ribbons strewn along dining tables and vineyards. It was something one would seen in a movie- if not for the twitching groom, who had swallowed a total of near fifteen pills before the ceremony to keep from exploding, and the bride who looked as dead and dull as the corpse bride herself.

Saito and Tetsuki's father had bought the newly wedded pair a beautiful estate in Hokkaido, most likely worth millions. Saito made sure to keep a constant supply of medication out to Seiji- to make sure Tetsuki was safe with him. They did have servers- butlers and maids that worked in the estate, but they could only do so much, seeing that Seiji and Tetsuki were often alone. They moved out three weeks after marrying, and only two months later after pressure from both the Akashis and Kurokos, it was announced that Tetsuki was pregnant. Saito was overjoyed- obviously his dreams of becoming a happy father turned grandfather were coming true- and Seijuuro kept his polite smile. He had been working under Saito as co-vice president for Red King Corporations, and was dissatisfied. He was meant for absolute power, of course. The fact that he'd soon be taking care of an incompetent child only meddled with his affairs even more. Therefore- he devised his own plan to show his father exactly what he had learned.

Those who worked under Saito in Red King who were skeptical of Seijuuro's skills were soon only proved wrong as he single-handedly uprooted their previous vice president's spot, and stole it from under his nose. They were in awe of his prowess in business and his skill- he charmed himself into the hearts of allied CEOs of Red King, and used his extensive knowledge in business to easily work through social contracts and funds that benefitted the company wholesomely. His skill in handling funds had saved the company hundreds of thousands of dollars- and he was only twenty two years old.

Seijuuro had again buried himself in work, and again, it was like a repeat of middle school, high school, and college all over again. Men wanted to befriend him and benefit off of his work and social status. Women wanted to date him for the money and for his good looks. And again, he shunned everyone. All he needed was himself. He was absolute. He was better than the scum that groveled shallowly at his feet.

All while Seijuuro focused devotedly on business, all sorts of fuss was made over Tetsuki and Seiji's new child. Three and a half months into her pregnancy, it was discovered their child would be a boy. Saito and Tetsuki's father were both overjoyed at the news, and lavishly, Seijuuro's foolish father bought the married couple all sorts of gifts. Whether it was maternal clothes, baby care products, medication for Seiji's schizophrenia in bulk, or even extra money to make up for the two's unemployment, they got as much of it as they would ever need for the rest of their lives. Seijuuro put his hand in to the gifts only for courtesy. He could hardly care any less about the child that everyone seemed to be obsessing over, even though they weren't living yet.

Seijuuro- at the turn of the fifth month of pregnancy- visited his brother at the estate in Hokkaido, taking a boat ride up and freeing himself from two days of work to stay. It was simply to remain his civil and charming appearance, which in business, made everything. Once he arrived, he was greeted by countless maids and butlers, and was escorted into the dining hall, where he was greeted with a breakfast that Seiji had gotten made. It was elegant and luxurious as ever- foods that would have fed many more than two people for much more than an hour. Tetsuki had been resting at the time.

The meal between the two was a civil and strained matter. Seiji said almost nothing- as if he didn't trust himself with words. His fingers still trembled as he held his fork, the silver lade dipped into a vat of honey for pastries mocking him. The knife held in his left hand was no different. Seijuuro knew his brother was tipping off of the edge of sanity, and just a simple push was all it would take to send him hurtling down. The medication could only do so much for someone who was so far beyond help. Through the meal, the older brother watched Seiji's movements carefully, as he precisely ate with etiquette that was graceful and natural, while Seiji trembled and struggled to remember whether or not the soup spoons started from the inside or out.

After the silent meal, Seijuuro had gone to visit Tetsuki for kind words and condolences. The young woman was dressed rather plainly and sat, her eyes as emotionless and dead as ever- though Seijuuro specifically remembered at the time, the small dullness twinkling deeply in her irises. The tealness of the orbs was fading, diluted. Fear. You could see it if you looked hard enough. Her arms were protectively wrapped around her stomach, as if she were trying to protect her child, who was safe in her stomach. Seijuuro could see the cracks forming over the seemingly perfect relationship Saito had gaged his youngest son and daughter in law to have. Seiji was losing his grip on reality. The voices were returning. Tetsuki was frightened of him, and scared for her safety and her child's life.

Perhaps, if Seiji ended up snapping and killing Tetsuki- whose son died within her womb, there would have to be no heir to Red King. Seijuuro could take over and reign as long as he liked- while his brother was sent away, permanently this time, never to blemish and infect the family with his madness ever again. Everything would be absolute. Everything would be perfect. Everything would be to Seijuuro's standards.

After the heir's visit to the estate, he began to muse with the idea of his sister-in-law's unfortunate death, and the tragedy of Seiji being sent off forever to a care ward. It was a beautiful image for Seijuuro to conjure up, of course, not like he would ever act on it. Though the idea of ridding himself of the plagues that tattered his reputation was more than appealing, he was not about to risk his reputation if word got out that he was the cause of the tragedy to befall his sibling branch of the family. All Seijuuro would have to do was steal the medication Seiji needed and staunch his supply of it from his father.. But it was possible he could have been traced back to the act. So he refused.

After the visit, Seijuuro once again immersed himself with work. He entertained a few young women who had links to high up organizations, but only for information and favor from their companies. Once he knew their trade secrets, he tossed their phone numbers into the trash. They were heartbroken- after all, no one wanted to miss out on the perfection that was Akashi Seijuuro. From maturity, he possessed a handsome face, his red hair and eyes captivating, and a toned body and broad shoulders that any woman would have wished. Not only that, but he was a recognized business genius, he was young, and he was rich. Between working and continuing to gather information; Tetsuki entered her seventh month of pregnancy.

It was during a business meeting that Seijuuro received a call from his father, who frantically had rushed him over to a hospital in Hokkaido by private jet. Tetsuki had gone into labor only three days after hitting the seventh month mark. Their child was to be born premature.

Seijuuro found himself wishing that the child would be born still- he wouldn't have to worry about any of this ever again.

Saito's further thinning and whitening hair was being pulled out as the soon-to-be grandfather sat in the waiting room with his son, biting his lip nervously. Seijuuro remained calm- even as the bleating of hospital machines and the clacking of heels slowly wore down on his patience. He could hear screams and whimpers of agony coming from inside the operation room. Seiji was in there- Seijuuro had to wonder if perhaps his brother had lost it and was now attacking his wife by the sounds Tetsuki was making. The poor woman was in labor for nearly twenty hours.

At midnight, it was announced that Tetsuki had given birth to a premature boy. Saito had nearly cried with relief, Seiji coming out shaking and panting, as if he had been the one to give birth. Seijuuro could only irritably glance at the clock.

They said that the child was small- only about six pounds, and five inches. They would keep him under watch and care to make sure he could eat, breathe, and sleep without problems. Saito volunteered to stay behind with Seiji and Tetsuki- while he graciously allowed Seijuuro to leave. The heir had gone back to business since then, sour. The months of Tetsuki's pregnancy had been irritating, of course, but now, he had to face reality. Teaching an incompetent child the arts of business that would one day replace him was near. In years- which flew by quickly- he would have an heir, one he didn't even want.

Seijuuro went back to Tokyo in a bitter mood- and threw himself completely into work.

When Seijuuro turned twenty five, and the infant he had never bothered to check on since birth turned three- his father had declared he was retiring at the grand age of sixty four. The employees mourned for the leaving of a great and kind boss, and they threw a large celebration for him. The whole firm of Red King was covered in decorative streamers, and all sorts of speakers and entertainers had come to perform for Saito's sake. Even Seiji and Tetsuki attended. Seijuuro looked at his brother and sister-in-law whom he had not seen in two years, and couldn't help but sneer internally. Tetsuki's hair had already begun to color a lifeless white, her eyes still fearful and oh so very dead. His brother was faring no better. The dysfunctional marriage had taken its toll on the mentally unstable young man, who now, could only tremble violently, and flinch spastically whenever someone tried to touch him. He could have pitied the two for a second, just for how pathetic they looked together- until he saw the small form standing behind them.

For a second, Seijuuro could not place who the small child was. He bore a striking resemblance to Tetsuki- with softly colored teal locks, that were long and framed a chubby, youthful face; and sky blue eyes, lightened a few shades from Seijuuro's sister-in-law. His skin was a pale complexion similar to Seiji's, from lack of sunlight, but naturally fair, like Tetsuki's. He was small, and wore a blue jacket with shorts. Small shoes and socks adorned his feet. His expression was emotionless like Tetsuki's- but he brimmed something that settled deep underneath Seijuuro's skin. It was the effect that the boy was quiet not because he had nothing to say, but because he knew that listening and observing was smarter than speaking.

Tetsuki had quietly introduced the boy as Akashi Tetsuya, she and Seiji's son- the heir that Seijuuro was to take on. The older redhead simply stared at the small child, who had stared back with indifferent blue eyes, as quiet and somber as the water of a still lake.

He was pure. He was untouched.

He was nothing like the women whom had constantly pursued Seijuuro for years. He was nothing like the shallow men that had devised to befriend him simply for his influence or money. He was innocent, guarded from the greed and spoils of the world. He was clean.

Something about that was beautiful.

Seijuuro had only smiled as he was introduced to his nephew, who he was told to have a few complications from premature birth. Tetsuya had developed asthma, had weak lungs, and low stamina compared to other children his age, seeing that his body hadn't been fully developed before he was born. Seijuuro had half-listened to his sister-in-law's monotonous voice, instead opting to stare into those big blue eyes. He had asked something that night at the party to Tetsuya, he didn't quite remember what, but the only response he had gotten was the little bluenette shunning him and turning away.

It was almost amusing that the one person to finally reject him would be a child.

From then on, Seijuuro saw the eyes of his nephew rather than the blueness off of the waters of Hokkaido, the milky white complexion instead of the pale moonlight that rained down in dark nights, and the motionless lips rather than the noisy, unrelenting mouths of his business associates. He decided from then on that this odd new fondness for someone other than himself was just interest in intelligence in someone so young. Obviously Tetsuya knew to hold his tongue, and he was intelligent. Two weeks after the party, Seijuuro took a week off from work to spend in Hokkaido.

He needed to groom Tetsuya into the role of heir, after all. He would only teach Tetsuya what he needed. He wanted to see if the interest that had been kindled in his nephew was well placed, if indeed the boy was competent and intelligent enough to one day replace Akashi Seijuuro.

And so he embarked off to Hokkaido on a private jet, to get there as soon as possible.

Tetsuki and Seiji obviously had not been expecting their brother's arrival, but did their best to kindly accommodate him. They greeted him with a makeshift meal, the servants working hard to get things in order. Seijuuro had smiled throughout eating with the two, but his thoughts circulated around the small boy that he was there to see. While eating, he explained he was here to properly acquaint himself with Tetsuya- to become 'closer' with him, just so that the two could live well together when Tetsuya got older, and the need to study business became more prevalent.

Seiji looked as if he could care less. The tired look that Saito often got was pressed and ironed flat into the Schizophrenic's face, Seijuuro noted. He excused himself from the dinner table early to rest, trembling and shaking as he stood and walked, nearly having to walk along the wall to keep himself from collapsing. Seijuuro couldn't have cared less for his brother. Tetsuki only looked a bit more concerned than she usually did, but agreed. After the meal, Seijuuro's sister guided him from the dining room up to the private quarters of the manor, where she directed him to Tetsuya's room.

She left quietly, like a ghost, as he opened the door.

The inside of the room was smaller compared to other sections of the manor, but it was expected for a small child's bedroom. The walls were painted a sky blue, with soft white puffs of paint added to resemble clouds. The floor was wood, but a large rug covered most of the center of the floor, as if to prevent a fall that could be painful. A small bed sat in the corner of the room, neatly folded and tucked in. Near the large window, that was too high up for a child to climb through and potentially fall, sat a small wooden table with two matching chairs. In it, sat Tetsuya, looking at a child's book.

Tetsuya looked to his uncle as Seijuuro walked through the doorframe. A stare off began between the CEO of Red King, and the boy who had haunted his thoughts like some sort of ghost for the past two weeks without relent. After what seemed like hours of gazing into pools of pristine water- Tetsuya had gone back to his book. Seijuuro had taken the chance to sit down near him on the other small chair. Tetsuya had put the book down and stared at his uncle.

He stared for a little while more before going back to his children's book.

Seijuuro had sat in silence, appreciating the lack of sound. It was more beautiful than any type of elegant music at any sophisticated business could ever hope to be. Tetsuya's small fingers had brushed over the pages of the book- and soon, Seijuuro was offering to read to his nephew. All that was given in response was a small nod. With a charming smile placed over his lips, the CEO began to read from the small book, carefully watching his nephew take in the information he was given. Tetsuya only sat in silence and listened and observed, letting nothing shine through to his face. Seijuuro finished the book, and offered to read another. Tetsuya nodded again.

And so they read the whole night away, until Tetsuya had refused another book and tucked himself into bed without another word.

Seijuuro had simply smiled his usual charming smile and turned off the light before he went off to his own business, retiring for the night as well. Something deep inside of him stirred with anticipation, trembling and buzzing like a bomb waiting to go off.

The time had been exactly eight o'clock when Tetsuya had curled into bed.

The next day had Seiji locked up in the bathroom while Tetsuki, Seijuuro, and Tetsuya shared breakfast together. The woman remained monotone as she offered Seijuuro to take Tetsuya out so he and his brother could talk and spend time together. Seijuuro politely refused- he had absolutely no interest in his brother, after all. He had plans for the day- after breakfast, he took Tetsuya by the hand and guided him off into the garden that surrounded the beautiful estate. The two silently picked flowers together and sat in the grass for most of the morning, before they ate a small picnicked lunch that was packed for them by the cooking staff of the manor. After that, they gathered more flowers, and sat for more time, before returning inside in the early evening for dinner. Seijuuro was content watching Tetsuya observe the small insects that gathered around the flowers, and poke around the grass.

Seiji was absent from that meal, as well. Tetsuki still had that dull look in her eyes, but the fear that was hidden behind her large irises was more lucid this time. The three ate dinner together in silence, and after, Seijuuro volunteered to read Tetsuya a story before bed. Tetsuki had stared at him in surprise, the emotion muffling her usually blank faced stare, but her son had simply nodded. The woman sat alone as Seijuuro escorted his nephew up to his room.

That night, he read him the book about the mountain meeting the moon. Exactly at eight o'clock, Tetsuya had tucked himself in bed; and again, Seijuuro exited the room after flicking off the light switch, and went to bed himself.

The third day of his vacation was spent near the ocean shore with Tetsuya, collecting small shells with his nephew. Seiji was still confined to his room and was refusing to come out- but his son didn't seem bothered. Tetsuki, however, looked as shaky as ever, so much that she didn't object to Seijuuro stealing her son away yet again for a visit out of the estate. The two looked for crabs and scooped through sand to search for little clams, their feet wet with saltwater. Every question that Seijuuro asked that day was answered by a less hesitant nod, and the two held hands when they walked back to the manor, feet squishing on their rubber shoes up the path and down more the dirt road.

That night, after a dinner with a small side dish of seafood soup, Seijuuro read Tetsuya another book before bed. This one was the German tale of Hansel and Gretel. Tetsuya did not fail to tuck himself into bed at eight o'clock once again.

The fourth day of Seijuuro's vacation was spent going out to town with Tetsuya. Tetsuki, this time, had also confined herself to the bedroom, and he and Tetsuya ate together in appreciated silence. The two rode out a train to a popular shopping center near the tourist district of Hokkaido, and spent their time window shopping and enjoying the delicious treats that confectionaries across the shopping district had to offer. Seijuuro fed his nephew many delicious treats- and that time, he had asked if Tetsuya had wanted more- to which the three year old responded to with a spoken, yes.

His innocence was beautiful, Seijuuro knew from the start. He watched people with an observing tone to them, and was much more reserved and intelligent than children his age; but at heart, he was still a child. He was pure from the scum that threatened to corrupt his innocence, and was not greedy, selfish, or lewd. He was gentle, pure, and clean. He warmed a part of Seijuuro's heart that the redhead never knew still even existed.

He wanted to keep Tetsuya clean and beautiful.

That night, he read Tetsuya an American tale called The Giving Tree. The boy particularly enjoyed it- and this time, Seijuuro was allowed to tuck Tetsuya into bed at exactly eight o'clock. Seijuuro walked back to his room with a smile on his face.

The fifth day of Seijuuro's vacation was spent in the garden once again. This time instead, though; they weren't just picking flowers. The two spent their time going around the fruit orchards and picking grapes and apples to share, as well as weaving flower crowns. The weather was a bit cloudy, but peaceful, and cool on the skin just enough for a nice day outside. Tetsuya had allowed Seijuuro to hold his hand while they walked the garden.

On the way back from their day outside- Tetsuya had suddenly gotten an asthma attack. The redhead male had suddenly felt panic for the first time, as he witness his nephew wheezing and coughing desperately in his arms, even as helpers from the estate came and calmed Tetsuya's lungs with an inhaler. The feeling was a rush of adrenaline that burned through his veins like acid- he hadn't ever experienced the pain and concern that others felt on a daily basis. He hadn't felt it for his father when he had started to grey, he hadn't felt it for Seiji when he was shipped off to the ward.. He hadn't felt a lot of emotions.

And Tetsuya had suddenly brought them all forth.

That night, Seijuuro read his nephew The Kissing Hand, an American book, and tucked him in with a kiss to the forehead.

It had been eight-two.

The sixth day of Seijuuro's vacation was rainy, and it was unsuitable to go outside. He and Tetsuya ate breakfast alone, Tetsuki claiming that Seiji had fallen ill and needed someone to take care of him. Seijuuro had taken his nephew upstairs, and the two had sat underneath the warm covers of the redhead's bed to read a few books before Seijuuro ended up telling Tetsuya stories. The boy would dutifully listen and seemed to understand even concepts that older children would not understand. After the stories, Seijuuro gently began to converse with the boy, who he had finally coaxed into saying more than one-worded answers.

Tetsuya whispered to him about how his father was always shaking and trembling, and how when he ate, he flinched when he saw big cooking spoons and shook whenever he used a fork to cut something. He also whispered that he knew that when his father didn't know he was around, he could see him whispering and sometimes talking to himself. He confided that sometimes his mother would be with him, in the moment- _there- _and then suddenly be gone, her eyes glassy and distant until she began to cry, silent tears dripping down her emotionless face. Tetsuya whispered to him that he was alone most of the time, so he liked reading books. In actuality, he had _taught himself to read at three years old_; he just wanted Seijuuro to be with him the first time he offered.

After those small answers, the redhead wrapped his arms around Tetsuya, gently burying his nose into the soft teal locks, inhaling the soft diluted scent of vanilla and rain. Seijuuro felt something thaw at his heart. The child he had been so against having in his life- the heir he had hated the thought of, the infant he had been willing to kill- now he only felt possession and protection as he cradled Tetsuya in his arms.

Tetsuya was beautiful and intelligent. He was pure and sweet. He was untainted and innocent. He was weak- he needed someone to protect him, and obviously, Tetsuki and Seiji had not been doing their jobs as parents. They were too pathetic and too flawed for Tetsuya.

Tetsuki and Seiji didn't deserve him. They could live a thousand lives and not deserve the perfection they had been given. They neglected their son, they were selfish, they were undeserving. Both of them were fools. They did not deserve a child who would one day exceed both of their achievements combined.

The night of the sixth day; Seijuuro had dumped away the stash of medication that kept Seiji teetering on the edge of sanity- bolted the door to Tetsuki and his brother's bedroom ever so carefully; and locked the door to Tetsuya's bedroom as he read his nephew Where the Wild Things Are, slowly and carefully. Halfway through the book, Tetsuya joined in, the both of them reading in sync with each other. This time, Seijuuro tucked both he and Tetsuya into bed together, and they slept away the night. His arms wrapped around his nephew like a beautiful porcelain doll, easily broken, as he cradled the child close to his heart.

The next morning of the seventh day, they spent all day in bed. Seijuuro didn't escort Tetsuya down to breakfast. They simply lay together in the soft morning sunlight, even as Akashi Tetsuki's bloodcurdling screams echoed agonizingly through the estate's halls- and the insane, familiar laughter of Akashi Seiji seemed to overlap over the sound, creating a dreadful harmony that resonated within the manor. Seijuuro simply smiled and held Tetsuya close. The boy only went back to sleep as soon as his mother's screams died down, and the laughter of his father finally subsided.

Saito and Kuroko Tarou had wept profusely over the phone about the terrible tragedy of Seiji and Tetsuki. Seijuuro had pretended to weep tears of mourning for his deceased sister-in-law, whom they had found lying on the floor, her throat slit with a steak knife- Seijuuro had to keep from smiling with pleasure at how much the sight resembled Renka, holding her bloodied hand with Seiji laughing hysterically- and his brother, who had been convicted of second degree murder but plead to be insane, and was sent off to a mental asylum for the time being, trembling violently and laughing. Seijuuro extended his vacation long enough to stay for his deceased sister's funeral before claiming the right, seconded by both his father and Tarou- for custody of Tetsuya.

They celebrated Tetsuya's fourth birthday the day after they arrived in Tokyo, and two days after his mother's death.

Two months after they moved into Kyoto together, Seijuuro went to a family court in Tokyo and won full custody over Tetsuya, while his brother plead insane for his crimes and was permanently moved to an asylum for the criminally insane.

Seijuuro lovingly read to his nephew every night, books that taught the boy new things that expanded his intelligence. Tetsuya was a sponge that soaked up knowledge faster than water, and it overjoyed Seijuuro to see that though Tetsuya remained sweet and innocent, he was still brilliant, and picked up on material fast. Eyes that flashed with recognition and understanding also remained pools of pristine and untouched water. He adored his successor. Seijuuro refused to hire a babysitter for his nephew- letting some stranger in would only taint Tetsuya of course. So he did work from home until Tetsuya turned five years old, and had been living with him for a year- having lost Tetsuki a year ago, having gotten rid of Seiji a year ago, having claimed his property a year ago.

Seijuuro enrolled Tetsuya into an elementary school in Tokyo that was well-known for being educational and teaching their students to be well-behaved and mannered. Seijuuro would not allow his nephew to play with other children who threatened to tell him of things that he should not learn of, or prove a negative influence on his behavior. To excuse this; he came up with the idea that Tetsuya's asthma should keep him inside, and he should read instead of play with other kids to make sure he did not get sick. The teachers believed Seijuuro's explanation to be a bit drastic, but valid. Not only to that benefit- but Seijuuro was aware that Tetsuya refused to speak anything to the teachers at his school. His uncle was the only one he would openly talk with.

Tetsuya was kept pure. Red King flourished.

Everything was perfect.

Under Seijuuro's influence- Red King Shipping and Blackout Energy combined to make an unstoppable business team. They raked in thousands of dollars a day and crushed any opposing companies to dust with their national influence. Akashi Seijuuro became a name both admired and feared across the national business spectrum, and anyone who dared to oppose him was instantaneously crushed.

The years seemed to fly by quickly with Tetsuya easily becoming top of his grade in academic intelligence, and Seijuuro continuing to dominate the business playing field. Birthdays flew by- Tetsuya was eight, then nine, then ten- Seijuuro was thirty, then thirty one, then thirty two. The redheaded CEO was sure that his nephew was not tainted, keeping him close. Those who knew him personally would have never guessed that Seijuuro would have ever been so kind and so sweet to someone. Tetsuya was the only one who made Seijuuro genuinely feel anything. Those around him managed to gather plastic, charming smiles from Seijuuro, and his anger. Nothing else could be drawn from him. However, Tetsuya made Seijuuro feel compassion, love, adoration, sadness.. And it wasn't an unrequited feeling. Tetsuya refused to speak with anyone else other than his uncle, and the emotions he did show on his face or in his words, could never have been roused by anyone else. The two completed each other.

Seijuuro knew that no one else should ever come between them.. No one else deserved Tetsuya, after all.

But if someone were to perhaps try to sever the unspeakable bond that tied he and Tetsuya together..

They'd have to be erased. Just like Seiji and Tetsuki. He didn't care who it was- child or adult, male or female, friend or family, ally or enemy. If they dared to come between Seijuuro and his sweet Tetsuya, then they'd have to disappear.

Simply what happened in the case of Kise Ryouta.

Seijuuro- at the prime coming of age at thirty four, was among the most eligible bachelors in Japan for his wealth, good looks, intelligence, and gentlemanly charm. However, the only one he had eyes for was his dear nephew- who, at the age of thirteen, was growing up into a fine young man. He was still as pure as could be- he was not like his classmates, who constantly had girls or unclean thoughts in their head. Tetsuya was conservative, polite, and silent as ever. As he grew, he had slowly had to talk to teachers- but even so, he only spoke to them with blunt, one-worded sentences. Seijuuro was the only one to ever hear his sweet Tetsuya speak. For this he trusted his nephew wholeheartedly, and expected the absolute best of him. Of course, he was never disappointed. Tetsuya always brought home outstanding grades and amazing feedback from teachers and faculty.

Seijuuro expected for his thirty-fourth birthday, his nephew would bring home test results with perfect scores, a small dessert, and himself, as perfectly pristine as usual. After all, every year was like that- and Seijuuro had become accustomed to the delightful normalcy and relief it brought from the life of business. Life at home with Tetsuya, with genuine smiles and emotions; was absolutely more enjoyable than stuffy business parties with _plastic _smiles.

Seijuuro had stayed waiting at home, doing some leftover paperwork from work, waiting for Tetsuya. His nephew came home at four o'clock every day without notice of change, considering school was let out at three thirty and it took about twenty minutes to walk from the manor to the academy, adding ten minutes for Tetsuya getting out of the school gates and collecting his supplies. When it came to be past four o'clock; Seijuuro began to become suspicious- but also, concerned. It had been pouring heavily outside from about three forty.

Tetsuya trusted him more than anyone else in the world.. So he should have called if he was late, and on Seijuuro's birthday, nonetheless. They always came home and ate together, and spent the time in each others' company well. The CEO had put down his pen after finishing a stack of papers and went to the dining table, where he sat down and called his nephew.

All he got on the other line of the phone was static.

Seijuuro had immediately slammed his cell onto the mahogany table hearing the lack of answer from Tetsuya; and grabbed a thick grey rain coat, and draped it around his upper body. He would go searching for his nephew- it wasn't safe for Tetsuya to be out in such cold weather, and he was worried for his nephew, whom should have come home a near hour ago. The redhead alerted the staff he would be out- they advised him to take care. He only, again, smiled his fake little smile, and allowed himself to be escorted out.

The rain had made everything in the atmosphere seem grey-blue. Swirls of rain drenched crimson red locks as Seijuuro methodically searched from the area around the manor, to the path along to where Tetsuya's academy was. He wondered if perhaps Tetsuya's phone had gotten wet from the dumping rain- it was a likely scenario. Perhaps he had been taking shelter somewhere after his phone had gotten wet, seeing as he couldn't navigate his way through the heavy downpour.

Seijuuro had walked the twenty-minute path from the manor to the school- and had turned around. He wasn't anywhere near the path.. The redheaded CEO decided to look a bit more around the area before moving on. Worry clenched his heart for his beloved nephew. Was Tetsuya all right? Perhaps he had gotten a cold- and then gotten an asthma attack. The coincidental scenario was very possible, even though Tetsuya did carry his inhaler at all times, it was still an issue. Seijuuro had walked past the entrance of a small family park a few ways off of the academy- and decided to take a quick look around while he was there. It wouldn't hurt to be thorough.

Seijuuro remembered the familiar feeling of wet grass squishing around his dark rubber boots, as he walked through the muddy earth, squinting his red eyes to see through the grayness of the air. The rushing of water around him was the only thing he heard- he could make out the outlines of trees and a few benches through the rain, but that was about it- there was nothing he could hear.

Seijuuro had given up after watching through the rain for five more minutes and had begun to walk out of the park through the entrance, barely visible, when he saw something twitch off in the distance of the benches under the trees.

Seijuuro immediately snapped to attention, his eyes following two moving blurs. Both of them were dressed in navy blue, which camouflaged them with the dark rain. Navy blue like the academy uniforms. One of the figures was tall with broad shoulders, and the other was smaller. The smaller figure was leaned across the other's lap. The larger figure was running his hands through the smaller one's hair. It was obvious they were both male. It was obvious who the smaller one was.

Seijuuro remembered something suddenly blossoming deep within his heart at that exact moment- something burning hot that flushed away the icy coldness from the rain around him. It wasn't love, that he felt so strongly for his nephew, who was lying down vulnerable in the lap of someone else- and it wasn't happiness, or any other different emotions that Tetsuya had given to him, had made him feel. It was disgust, something that he hadn't felt in years- combined with something else, something a stinging green contrasting from the burning red that halved his heart.

Seijuuro had walked out of the park, and gone home without saying another word.

When Tetsuya had gotten home much later, nearly at eight o'clock, with a fluffy towel draped around his shoulders and holding a small box of cake, Seijuuro had simply ignored him. The CEO's nephew had surprise draped over his usual soft and blank expression, as he bit his lip softly when he wished his uncle a happy birthday, only to be completely passed over. Seijuuro only walked straight past him and into his studies, locking the door. The click seemed to resound within the manor.

Seijuuro had gone to sleep that night, pondering the green darkness overflowing from his heart.

The next week, it was all the same. Whenever Tetsuya tried to speak to his uncle, Seijuuro only passively ignored Tetsuya. He didn't like acting so cold to his darling heir, but something about his nephew's presence was now dirty. The beauty of his innocence was fading- the whiteness was dripping with black. He felt disgust suddenly, anger suddenly, and something he had never felt before- jealousy. The young man who had been with Tetsuya, who was only supposed to be able to speak and enjoy his uncle, was unworthy to be the one to taint Tetsuya, to arbor him. He was jealous of the person who spent time with Tetsuya. That was all.

Oh. That was all.

It had been laughable and almost pitiable, he had been ignoring his precious nephew and making poor Tetsuya quiver and tear whenever he passed by the smaller male without a word of acknowledgement. It was just simply jealousy, nothing too serious. It was normal to get angry when someone who normally had their attention on you was spending time with someone else. All Seijuuro had to do was clear up the issue with Tetsuya and then everything would be fine again.

At dinner that night, Seijuuro had smiled at Tetsuya when they sat down to eat. The meal was traditionally Japanese, and the two had begun talking. Tetsuya seemed rather surprised his uncle was now speaking to him, and he apologized to Seijuuro for coming home late on his birthday. The redheaded man only smiled graciously and put down his cup, forgiving his nephew. The dinner they shared- tofu soup, and for dessert, an assortment of expensive Japanese pastries- was as usual, absolutely delicious, and up to Seijuuro's standards. Once they were finished eating, Seijuuro suggested they sit for a bit more.

After small talk- Seijuuro dropped the question.

Tetsuya answered as he did when his uncle asked him something, but this time, it was hesitant. His voice was small, his teeth nibbling down on his lower lip nervously as he replied. Seijuuro's eyes only raised, and he smiled as if pleased- when if anything, he was not. The name of the young man to have been the one to distract Tetsuya away from him was the name of a famous model in the Tokyo Prefecture, and a young man who was senior to Tetsuya's grade, fourteen years old, in the academy.

Tetsuya had gone on to explain with a stutter lacing his lips, that on Seijuuro's birthday, he had packed up his things and gone outside only to see it was raining. It was too dark to see through the pouring rain, so Tetsuya had tried to wait out the bad weather, fearing he might get lose considering the lack of visibility. He waited for about half an hour, knowing by then the rain wouldn't let up for a long while. Afraid he might be too late to visit the bakery in time for their closing, Tetsuya tried to run through the rain- and someone bumped into him, his phone falling into a puddle and shorting out. The person who ran into Tetsuya was being chased by many girls through the rain- and to keep Tetsuya from being trampled down by the girls, they pulled him along. The two lost the girls after a while- where the person introduced himself as Kise Ryouta, the model, who was being pursued by overenthusiastic fans.

The two took shelter in the park considering they had run so far along the path back to the academy. They tried to shield themselves from the rain by sitting under the bench together under the tree, where Seijuuro had originally found them. Tetsuya said that he had only given Ryouta his first name, and they were nothing other than acquaintances. He had fallen asleep on Ryouta's lap because of exhaustion from running, considering his lack of stamina and terrible asthma. Tetsuya had also gotten cold, and felt a bit sick, so guiltily, Ryouta had tried to give him comfort while they rested together. Seijuuro's nephew had been as accurate in recalling the day as possible to please his uncle- and though it was not his nephew's fault, Seijuuro was irritated. That model had no right to speak to Tetsuya, no right to touch him, no right to taint him.

Of course, the first thing he did after Tetsuya finished the story, was to make sure his nephew was feeling okay. Tetsuya had simply nodded, claiming he took some medicine that night, and had felt much better in the morning. Seijuuro then called in to order a replacement cell phone, and the two went their separate ways for the night- Seijuuro to make some business calls, and Tetsuya to finish his homework. The conflict had been resolved.

Then why did that green serpent of envy keep slithering through the holes of his heart..?

Seijuuro went to work the next day, and had a long day of pushing women away as politely as possible when the only thing in mind he had for them was disgust. When he got home, a bit later than usual- about the same time Tetsuya should come home as well, his nephew was not in the manor. The redhead simply waited at the dining table until his nephew did arrive- approximately two minutes after the expected time. This was not normal nor was it acceptable for the heir to Red King.

Seijuuro didn't say anything as Tetsuya took his seat at the dining table, his miso soup already lukewarm from the wait. This time, the two ate in complete silence. The meal was finished quickly, tensions running high, and Seijuuro calmly walked to his office, where he sat down with his paperwork, hot displeasure coursing through his veins.

His eyes had seen the golden strand of hair resting innocently on Tetsuya's shoulder.

In his office, the redheaded CEO only thought to himself- not finishing his paperwork, like he should have been doing.

The envy that he first had felt when watching Ryouta and Tetsuya together in the rain was burning through his body, even more than before. He was disgusted and furious. Ryouta, a man who spent his time with countless beautiful young women and men, and slacked off his duties in academics, did not deserve to be in the presence of his precious nephew. Tetsuya was pure, sweet, and intelligent. He was not someone who would stoop to Ryouta's levels. No one other than Seijuuro was allowed to talk to Tetsuya. No one else deserved Tetsuya. No one was allowed to get close to him, to touch him, to mark him.. No one was worthy.

Only Seijuuro was.

Of course- it all made sense now. Before, it only seemed like he was irritated that Ryouta was the one Tetsuya preferred spending time with, but now, he knew what all the envy really meant. He was envious that Ryouta had a relationship with Tetsuya, when he was the only one good enough for his darling Tetsuya. Before, he thought it was only shock that made the feeling of having to share his beautiful Tetsuya with someone else. Now, he knew it was actually his possessive nature for what solely belonged to him. Before, Seijuuro thought all he had felt for Tetsuya was fondness and interest. Now, it was love. Absolute love. Before, he thought that it was simply disgust for someone like the women Seijuuro dealt with in the past being near Tetsuya. Now, he knew it was simply the fact that he would be the only one ever good enough for Tetsuya- and vice versa.

Tetsuya would be the only one ever good enough for him.

He was beautiful.

He was pure and untainted. His skin was the whitest canvas, purer than the softest snow, untouched by any filthy hands or trespassers. His eyes were the most pristine and clean lake, water that streamed with endless beauty, framed by the softest lashes that fluttered over his ivory cheeks. His hair framed his cherub-like face in soft, cloudy blue tufts. His body was slender and youthful, like the untouched and unplowed lands of a forest, the prized possession of a protective mother nature.

He was intelligent.

Even from a very young age, he had accepted his life with the maturity of an adult, and taken his mother's murder and his father's conviction as easily as a grown person would. He knew when to keep quiet, and when it was required of him to speak. He was no foolish young teenager who spent their time drinking and partying, or slitting their wrists to make up for self esteem. He earned top grades in school and constantly impressed Seijuuro- he was the only one with a mind strong enough to be acceptable for the redhead's standards.

He was Seijuuro's, and his only.

Ever since the fateful day Seijuuro had risked himself when he tossed out a large plastic capsule containing hundreds of pills to fight violent schizophrenia, his business and reputation teetering on the chances getting away with framing his younger brother of murder and indirectly killing his sister-in-law; Tetsuya had been his. He raised Tetsuya and shaped him- he was the one who came to him and held him when his parents were too selfish to do so themselves. He provided Tetsuya with knowledge and love and shelter- and kept him safe from the scum of the outside world. He protected Tetsuya. Tetsuya belonged to him.

He didn't care that it was an obvious taboo in society- they were both male, for one, and homosexual relationships were highly frowned upon in Japan- and for the most eligible bachelor in Tokyo, no less. What made it worse was their close relations- uncle and nephew, and the fact that Seijuuro was the one responsible for Tetsuya's parents being permanently incapacitated. They were also more than twenty years apart in age, and Seijuuro could have definitely been Tetsuya's father, had it come down to it.

But Seijuuro hardly cared.

His love, even illegal as it was- was more passionate and true than the love of his father for those concubines he kept around their manor that were called wives. The only one in his life would be Tetsuya. He was more of a man than his father, someone who had loved to society's standards, would ever know. His love was better than everyone else's. It was more true, more pure, more beautiful. Tetsuya was his, and he was Tetsuya's.

But simply for then- Seijuuro would let Tetsuya keep carrying on his delusional fantasy that he could do what he wanted.

It would show him all the more who he really belonged to when his dreams were crushed into itty bitty pieces. After all- Tetsuya was an intelligent person, not some mindless schoolgirl fantasizing over her crush. He should have known better, anyway, than to trust Kise Ryouta with his heart, mind, and body. He would only be hurt in the end-

But that would be when Seijuuro revealed himself to Tetsuya. The real Seijuuro Akashi, the one whom he had discovered himself when pondering in the midnight hours of the morning, the one who truly owned Akashi Tetsuya.

For an agonizing year, Seijuuro let Tetsuya do what he wanted, so long his grades didn't slip up. It was obvious that Tetsuya had fallen in love with Ryouta a long while ago. Whenever he received a call from the model, a soft smile graced his lips, and his eyelashes seemed to flutter down upon his cheeks with a grace only true love could bring. Whenever he spoke about his time spent with Ryouta, his voice became softer and more saccharine. Whenever he texted the blonde, his fingers moved faster, and his eyes lit up. Seijuuro could see his nephew falling in love, and it was disgusting. But patience was a virtue, and it reaped much more than rashness.

On Tetsuya's fifteenth birthday and on his last day of middle school- Seijuuro even let his darling, precious nephew go out with his 'friends' to celebrate. He knew what was really going to happen that night- and his thoughts, which were obviously right- were only confirmed when Tetsuya came home, dropped off by Ryouta in his red convertible near midnight wearing the model's jacket over his shirt, smelling like Ryouta's cologne. Seijuuro thought it laughable his little sweetheart even tried to pass off as if nothing had happened between the two. He was no idiot- Tetsuya and Ryouta had been seeing each other as 'lovers' from two months after the incident that happened in the rain.

Though Seijuuro was absolutely disgusted with the fact that Ryouta had dirtied Tetsuya before he could have, he knew it was for the best. When their relationship was crushed to pieces; it would only make Tetsuya come crawling back to Seijuuro even faster.

That very same night, Seijuuro made a few phone calls to make sure certain pictures of Kise Ryouta's fabulous modeling would be in the front pages of every fashion magazine, women's and mens' attire, in Tokyo. Every billboard and advertisement would have pictures of Kise Ryouta and Horikata Mai's cologne and perfume shoot on it, so no matter when or where someone looked, all they would see was the beautiful brunette model, scantily clad in nothing but lingerie and draped over the blonde's lap.

It took a while for Tetsuya to get affected by the first step in the plan that had been accumulating within two years of patience and self control. Seijuuro and his nephew had drifted apart since Ryouta had stepped into the picture, but it would only be a matter of weeks until Tetsuya had crawled back in his arms, completely dependent on his uncle again. When the bluenette came home from his second day of high school, he was back early and on time. He wore his own uniform and no scent of Ryouta was around him. He seemed rather irritated despite his blank face and monotonous tone, and when his 'lover' texted him, he replied back without emotions.

The seed of doubt had been successfully planted within Tetsuya's heart. Seijuuro knew his nephew was smart- and he wouldn't break up with the model on simple jealousy, seeing Ryouta was posing with an older woman in a more mature photo shoot- of course not. It would take much more than that- but of course, whatever it took, Seijuuro was willing to give.

A week and a half later, Seijuuro- when at a party, meeting with a few advertisement agencies, _just so happened _to slip out information regarding the esteemed model, Kise Ryouta, to a few beneficiaries attending the event. Their eyes had lit up when they looked up pictures of the blonde young man on their phone, and had begun to make busy chatter over his appearance. Two days later, Tetsuya again began coming home early. When Seijuuro nonchalantly asked why he was in the manor right after school, he was given the monotone answer that Ryouta had been busy with work every second of every hour. Dullness was seeping into the bluenette's eyes. Not only did he know Ryouta was doing modeling shoots with very attractive women, but Tetsuya was also aware that his lover was spending more time with other people than he was with him.

Seijuuro had no trouble executing the next part of his plan.

Only three hours after Ryouta's nonstop photo shoot requests had stopped, and he had been given free time to possible spend with his lover, did he receive an offer to star in a very popular TV drama, in which he would be playing the long-lost lover of the deuteragonist. Seijuuro had only smiled as Tetsuya had come home early yet again, and cooped himself up in his room. That night, he watched Ryouta's debut episode, in which the blonde had to passionately kiss a young, beautiful _woman _in a very, very romantic scene. He made sure to play that exact part as Tetsuya came down to grab a glass of water- and innocently only turned to face his nephew when he heard the sound of a glass shattering across the tiles on the floor. He had gone over to his sweet Tetsuya and cleaned up the glass, cooing about cutting himself on the floor, and had the maids clean up the mess.

Tetsuya had never looked so wonderfully tired before. His eyes, once bright as the sky, were dulling considerably. His perfect posture had slumped so his shoulders slouched forward, and his hair was messy and unbrushed, as if he didn't care what he looked like anymore. It was the sign that he was finally giving up in the fight against everyone for Kise Ryouta.

He played the drama at the exact time Tetsuya came home every day for three months- each scene that played often showed the model turned actor happily with another woman, or kissing the same actress over and over again lovingly. Every time Tetsuya saw the TV, he would remain calm and emotionless, but when Seijuuro heard his nephew's door upstairs finally close, his sensitive hearing could pick up on even the smallest of sniffles and sobs that came from his beloved nephew. Of course, Ryouta deserved to die for making his pure little angel suffer- despite the fact it was indirect and through Seijuuro's doing- but it would have to wait. There was one final step to his plan.

Despite the fact that Tetsuya had started talking to other people when he was thirteen, and no longer shared every bit of details about his life with his uncle like Seijuuro was his diary- his uncle still knew his schedule from top to bottom. The close and loving familial relationship had rusted under the erosion Kise Ryouta had brought on that rainy day, and instead lay a professional relationship between heir and mentor instead. But because of this, Seijuuro knew exactly where Tetsuya was every day of the week, and every hour.

He knew what Tetsuya would be doing on his sixteenth birthday.

He knew that Tetsuya- after leaving literature club on Monday- would go to his shoe locker and collect his things, and then leave to walk down to meet Ryouta at the cafe they had planned their date at, to celebrate Tetsuya's birthday. He knew Tetsuya would be overjoyed to know that for the first time in months, Ryouta would be able to spend time with him. He knew that Tetsuya wound find himself shocked to see a patch of blonde hair across the street. He knew that Tetsuya would recognize the handsome man as his lover, and try to call out for him- only for a car to pass and obscure his vision. When Tetsuya could see again, Seijuuro knew that all he would see was the same actress from the TV drama, who played Ryouta's love interest, confess to him, and press their lips together.

Seijuuro knew that Tetsuya would not dare to think of the fact that the actress had been hired by Seijuuro to stage the scene- and after Ryouta pushed her away, claiming he already had someone, she would simply nod and accept the rejection, and leave. But by then, Tetsuya would already be gone, fleeing to the manor with tears streaming desperately down his eyes..

Seijuuro would innocently greet his sobbing nephew at the doors of the manor, and be surprised as Tetsuya ran into his arms, crying his eyes out on his birthday. Seijuuro would only coo to him and gently usher him inside the house, their bonds that had been broken by the blonde nuisance slowly mending back together.

Tetsuya spent nearly half an hour crying on his uncle's lap, his heart torn to shreds and utterly crushed by the first man he had given himself to and spent three years with. Seijuuro stroked his hands through soft, powdery blue hair, and only gently kissed away the tears, as any loving family member would do. When the small sixteen year old finally settled, Seijuuro lead him to the dining table, where a huge birthday feast was presented. Tetsuya only smiled brokenly at the sight, something that made Seijuuro all the more eager to complete his plan. They sat down at the dining table, Seijuuro sitting next to his nephew instead of at the other head of the table.

Like a mother nursing their child, the redheaded man gently fed Tetsuya small bites of food, utterly content seeing his angel eat, despite his red, puffy cheeks, and tearstained skin. In Seijuuro's eyes, it only made his darling even more beautiful. He was like an archangel this time- his purity was tainted already, and his wings were painted black. It made him long for Tetsuya even more. He was a fallen angel, a broken creature, a pitiful being that wanted nothing more than to be loved.

By the time Tetsuya finished his meal, too sorrowful to notice Seijuuro had not eaten anything- he was out of it enough to accept a bottle of finely aged and seasoned wine to 'commemorate' his sixteenth birthday, and to wish away the struggle he had faced. The bluenette, drying his tears, had downed the glass as a means to forget the three years wasted on someone who and cheated on him without any second thoughts. Seeing Tetsuya hiccup and flush after his first glass, and accept another, only made it easier for Seijuuro to slip his hand into the bluenette's pocket and take out his phone, which had been turned off. Turning it on, he saw fifteen new messages, seven missed phone calls, and six emails. He quickly deleted them all, and turned the phone back off, slipping it into Tetsuya's pocket once more.

Seijuuro tucked his nephew into bed, pressing a chaste kiss on his forgetful lips before turning off the light.

The next morning, a Tuesday, was half spent with Tetsuya crying his eyes out in his bedroom at the lack of messages or calls from his lover, the other half with the angel being sick from his first taste of alcohol, and that being underage. Seijuuro let his nephew stay home from school, and in the morning, he gently nursed Tetsuya back to health with hot soup and caring comforting, subtly encouraging Tetsuya to end it with Ryouta. Sick and miserable, Tetsuya did. As soon as he did so- Seijuuro made a phone call and switched Tetsuya's phone number, so Ryouta's messages would never go through, and Tetsuya would never know.

After patiently waiting three years, finally, Seijuuro had gotten exactly what he wanted.

For the rest of the week, which Seijuuro constantly covered his nephew for- advising the school he was sick- he cared for his nephew. All of the food he fed Tetsuya was hand prepared himself, and he didn't allow any maid or butler or any servant to approach him in his room. Tetsuya's eyes had a faded out look- they were red from crying and stared out, just like his mother's would- before he would break out into tears. Seijuuro didn't mind, though. Tetsuya was not pathetic and disgusting like his mother, he was beautiful. He fed his sweet little darling by hand, bathed him, and even read to him, like he did when he had first met his nephew.

Like when he had first met his nephew, Tetsuya only responded to Seijuuro with nods or shakes of his head.

It was only on the Sunday of that finished week did Seijuuro finally make his move- did he finally let himself touch the forbidden fruit, did he let himself fondle the broken and battered black wings of his fallen angel. His hands had gently moved across soft and pale skin- that he once been defiled by the unworthiest of hands. It as okay, though. Seijuuro would purge all of the darkness that had defiled Tetsuya from Ryouta, and burn it all away with his own. He would cut open Tetsuya's heart and fill the emptiness in it with his own darkness. He would show Tetsuya that Ryouta never loved him. It was always Seijuuro. Never anyone else.

Seijuuro had gently cupped Tetsuya's face in his hands- the smaller male was as silent as he had been the first time they had met- and contently pressed their lips together, and begun exploring Tetsuya to his heart's content. Every sound that had escaped from trembling, hardly pursed lips sent a shiver of euphoria down the redhead's spine. Though he was reacting, Seijuuro's nephew had almost been in a dead blank faze- eyes somewhere far away, crying, and it was beautiful. He was the absolute epitome of perfection, the epitome of what Seijuuro wanted and what he would have. Tetsuya was beautiful. They were beautiful.

Patience was a virtue, and in the end it paid well.

When Seijuuro had rolled off of Tetsuya to gently caress his face, thumb sliding across abused red lips and tearstained cheeks, the redheaded man had smiled. Yes, he was in no way considered the smallest bit normal. The most eligible bachelor in Japan, hardly raised by a father and over twenty different stepmothers, with an insane younger brother locked away in some asylum, and a a love for the one person any one would have considered taboo. Yet, here he was. Though Seijuuro was not normal, he didn't care. He had everything that he could ever possibly dream of needing.

He had his status and reputation- he accepted nothing other than absolute perfection, leader of the business world, free of blemishes. His father had faded off with old age into the background of his life. Seiji was gone, taken his plague of insanity with him before it could spread. His pathetic wife was dead and silenced in her grave. He had his riches, more than enough to spend in a lifetime, and in abundance more than someone could ever need. But most importantly, he had Tetsuya, the only thing he had ever truly wanted, the only light in darkness, the only pureness in a world of filthy scum.

Seijuuro smiled, genuinely, as he whispered something to his nephew. His eyes glowed in the darkness- but instead of two crimson red pupils, there was only one. The other was a flashing, dangerous gold..

* * *

_Sing little canary,_

_Our time is ticking fast._

_Sing little canary;_

_Sing a tune that lasts._

_Sing little canary,_

_You can sing in a cage._

_Sing little canary,_

_A song for any age._

_Sing little canary,_

_Where is your sweet, soft song?_

_Sing little canary,_

_Make your life more than long._

_Sing little canary,_

_Please do stay with me._

_Sing little canary,_

_You've slept, ignored my plea._

_Sing little canary,_

_I forget the tune o' your song,_

_Sing little canary,_

_I guess that I was wrong._

_A cage with bars only traps and keeps your lovely wings tied down,_

_A cage with bars keeps you from your life and graces lips with all a frown._

_Sing little canary,_

_Sing up in clouds for me,_

_Sing little canary,_

_Answer my final plea._

* * *

After what seemed like a very long time, Tetsuya finally parted his lips to whisper shakily back to Seijuuro.

"I love you too."

It was eight o'clock.


End file.
